How many of you think that ''Ian Freeman'' IS the reason that MMA happened in the UK?...

Let me clarify, I don't want anyone to say ''he is one of the reasons'', I want people who think it was all because of him.

Seems like a pretty loaded question - why do you ask?

MMA had already happened in the UK before Freeman fought, Night of the Samurai etc and the likes of Lee Hasdell in the mix, so I guess you'd have to say he wasn't THE reason. But Freeman was definitely a driving force given what he achieved back then and the level he was competing at.

I agree that MMA would have developed regardless and will always say hands down (I've heard Aaron Chatfield say the same thing), that MMA wouldn't have begun in the UK had it not been for Lee Hasdell back in the day.

I would describe Freeman as one of the founding fathers in the UK however.

I just wondered what people thought because Ian Freeman says he is the reason.

I dont think you could pinpoint one exact person, once it had begun in the States it would have come over here at some point regardless, Ian, Lee etc all pioneers over here, impossible to say who was the first person to train or train others I guess.